Despite success, Holmes and Weekley show they have a lot to learn

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — J.B. Holmes and Boo Weekley have a down-home style that clicks with the Louisville crowds. On the driving range Friday afternoon, Holmes was bombarding the stage where the opening ceremonies were held on Thursday. It was about about 325 yards away, and the grandstands erupted in cheers every time Holmes bounced one off the roof.As Weekley practiced his putting, a man wearing a camouflage hat said to his pal, "Man, I love Boo. He's wearing blue pants, black shoes and white tube socks!" With a Tennessee accent, his friend replied, "Hell, he's just happy he found a pair of socks." Everywhere the pair went during their four-ball match against Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen on Friday, choruses of "Boooooo" filled the in the air. Holmes, who was an All-American at the University of Kentucky, was greeted with hollers of "Go Cats!" But for all the flag-waving and cheering the pair incited, Holmes and Weekley's inexperience was glaringly evident in two key situations.

On the 464-yard, par-4 12th hole Weekley faced a slippery downhillchip from about 35 feet away. After spitting out some tobacco juice, hedelicately chipped onto the green and watched his ball tumble into thehole for a birdie.The crowd erupted, and Weekley waved his arms and egged them on.Then he turned and waved toward the grandstand on the other side of thegreen. All the while, Westwood still had a 25-foot putt that could havehalved the hole."You walk a fine line when you start doing that sort of thing,"Westwood said after the match. "I've still got a putt for halve. Thereis no need to do it between the shots. At least wait until you'rewalking up to the green or walking off the green."In some ways, the situation was very similar to the celebration onthe 17th hole at Brookline in the 1999 Ryder Cup, when Justin Leonardholed a 60-foot putt against Jose Maria Olazabal.When asked about the incident, Weekley said, "Well, I mean, I didn'tmean to if I did. But the crowd — you can't control the crowd a littlebit. And at the same time, we was trying to keep them positive and keepus positive."With experience, Weekley will learn that a player like Westwood getsmotivated when he feels he has been disrespected. If the crowd goesbananas it's one thing, but if he feels that an opponent has incitedthem, that's another.The Americans' second slip was more crucial because it cost thempoints. They brought a 1-up lead to the par-5 18th hole, where Weekleyhit his drive right and into a creek. It was a mistake, but anexcusable one. But Holmes then found the water with his drive too. Thatwas inexcusable. In that situation, Holmes has to put his shot in theplay, even if it means hitting a 3-wood, 5-wood or even an iron off thetee.That blunder allowed Westwood and Hansen to relax, playconservatively and win the hole. They halved the match and stole ahalf-point that should have gone to the the Americans.Weekley and Holmes had a successful Ryder Cup debut in many ways,but if they can learn a few things from their mistakes, screams of"Boooooo" and "Go Cats" will be heard all weekend.